Diving board for swimming pools



Sept. 6,, 1960 Longitudinal section 0. J. GERRITSEN 2,951,701

DIVING BOARD FOR SWIMMING POOLS Filed May 4, 1954 X SK 12inl-iliving on Fulcrum Diving board //V V N TOR D/IQK JA/V GEIQP/TSEN eY ,a

United States Patent "ice DIVING BOARD FOR SWllVllVIING POOLS Dirk Jan Gerritsen, Oude Deldeneseweg 217, Boekelo, Netherlands Filed May 4, 1954, Ser. No. 427,482

Claims priority, application Netherlands May 6, 1953 3 Claims. (Cl. 272-66) The present invention relates to a new type of diving board.

Up to the present diving boards have been designed usually with longitudinal cross-sections tapering from the rear end to the diving end or tapering from the point resting on the fulcrum to both the rear end and the diving end.

This invention particularly relates to a diving-board of which the longitudinal cross-section is formed by the area between a straight line, representing the upper surface of the diving board and two parabolas representing the lower surface of the diving board between the fulcrum and the diving end and between the fulcrum and the rear end respectively.

However, from a point near the rear end and a point near the diving end, where the thickness might become too small in connection with the limits required by shearing stress and torsion, a constant thickness is maintained.

The accompanying drawing represents a longitudinal cross-section of a diving board in accordance with the present invention. In order to illustrate the principle more clearly, thickness has been drawn on a tenfold scale in comparsion with the length. Length of the diving board=189, width 19.7; thickness in the middle 2.55 and diminishing to both ends along parabolas until a thickness of 1.2" is attained. The middle of the diving board rests on the fulcrum.

The diving board is e.g. made of Douglas fir or any other suitable lumber, but the invention is not restricted to any special material.

The thickest part need not exactly be the middle of the diving board. In some cases this point may e.g. be nearer the rear end.

The fulcrum may be adjustable between the thickest point and a point laying about 20" from the thickest point in the direction of the diving end;

It was found that a diving board having this particular cross-section has a much better performance than any other type of diving board. This must be ascribed to the fact that an even distribution of stress has been attained, allowing the maximum of energy to be stored in the bent diving board.

2,951,701. Patented Sept. 6, 1960 The essential feature is obviously the manner in which thickness depends on distance from the fulcrum. Performance would be the same if the diving board had any other form, provided thickness x (at a distance y from either rear end or diving end) equals A /y in which A is a constant.

What I claim is:

1. A diving board of the character described having a central portion, rearward end portion at which said board is fastened and a diving end portion, said rear end portion and said diving end portion each being of substantially constant thickness, said central portion being of such thickness x that at a given distance y from said rear end as well as said diving end toward the middle of said central portion, x equals A /y wherein A is a constant, said diving board being freely supported on a fulcrum at a point between its cross section of maximum thickness and the diving end thereof.

2. A diving board of the character described having a central portion, rearward end portion at which said board is fastened and a diving end portion, and a uniformly planar integral top surface above said three portions, said rear end portion and said diving end portion each being of substantially constant thickness, said central portion being of such thickness x that at a given distance y from said rear end as well as said diving end toward the middle of said central portion, x equals Ax/y wherein A is a constant, said central portion being freely supported on a fulcrum at a point between the cross section of maximum thickness and the diving end of the board.

3. A diving board of the character described having a central portion, rearward end portion at which said board is fastened and a diving end portion, and a uniformly planar integral top surface above said three portions, said rear end portion and said diving end portion each being of substantially constant thickness, said central portion being of such thickness as that at a given distance y from said rear end as well as said diving end toward the middle of said central portion, x equals Ax/y wherein A is a constant, said central portion being freely supported on a fulcrum at a point from 0 to 15 inches toward the diving end from its cross section of maximum thickness, said cross section of maximum thickness being located substantially in the center intermediate both ends of the board.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,070,494 Stevenson i Feb. 9, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS 24,405 Switzerland 1901 72,460 Switzerland 1916 485,018 France 1917 

